Car roof



April 3, 1940. P. E. FINGER 2,198,432

CAR ROOF Filed Feb. 27, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 P. E. FINGER CAR ROOF Filed Feb. 27, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l/v l EN To 2 1/15 flrrolw/iKs,

Patented Apr. 23, 1940 PATENT OFFlCE GAR ROOF Paul E. Finger, New Ken sington, Pa., assignor to Standard Railway Equipment Manufacturing Company, New Kensin of Delaware Application February 27,

gton, Pa., a corporation 1939, Serial No. 258,722

12 Claims. (o1. 10s-5.4)

This invention relates to car roofs, and more particularly to metal car roofs of the type Where in the roof sheets form a roof having alternating upper and lower panels and are connected by rigid upstanding seams in the lower panels, and the running board is supported by the seams and upper panels. The principal objects of the present invention are to devise a construction which will better provide for the support of the running board, which will be self-cleaning for cinders and moisture, which will provide hand holds for the trainmen above the upper panels and which will be strong, durable, simple and economical. The invention consists in the parts and in the arrangements and combinations of parts herein-- after described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification and wherein like symhols refer to like parts wherever they occur,

Fig. l is a plan view of a portion of a car roof construction embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical transverse section through the ridge portion of the roof on the line 22 in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section on the line 44 in Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section at the ridge on the line 5-5 in Fig. l, V

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal section on the line 6-6 in Fig. 1,

Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse section on the line l' in Fig. 1,

Fig. 8 is a section similar to Fig. 2, showing a modification of the invention,

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing another modification, I

Figs. 10 and 11 are vertical longitudinal sections on the line ill-Ill and lll l, respectively, in Fig. 9; and

Fig. 12 is a section similar to Fig. 4, showing another modification. v g

In the accompanying drawings, my invention is shown in connection with a car roof having alternating upper and lower panels A and B. which slope downwardly from ridge to eaves of the car, and rigid upstanding seamsC in the upper panels intermediate between the sides thereof. Said roof is made up of metal roof sheets i that span the car from side plate 2 to side plate 2 of the car and have their ends bent down and secured by rivets 3 to the respective side plates. The roof sheets I are provided along their adacent margins with upstanding-flanges 4 that are'straddled by seam caps 5, all secured together by rivets 6, the ends of said caps being bent down over the side plates and secured thereto by the securing rivets 3 for the downturned ends of the roof sheets. Preferably the middle portions of the sheets are raised to form the upper panels A, which decrease in depth from the ridge towards the eaves of the car and merge into the plane of the lower panels B adjacent to the side plates 2, and the side marginal portions of adjacent sheets are connected by the seams C to form the lower panels B.

The roof is provided with a metal longitudinal running board D comprising sections disposed in endwise alinement along the ridge of the roof with their upper surfaces disposed substantially at the level ofthe ridge portions of the roof seams C. The adjacent ends of the running board sections D are secured to the roof seams C by metal angle brackets 1 that are disposed on opposite sides of said seams with one flange down and secured flatwise to the sides of the seam caps 5 by the securing rivets 6 therefor and with the other flange extending outwardly beneath the end of an adjacent runningboard section and secured thereto at the corners thereof by vertical rivets 8 having flat upper heads. The portions of the roof seams located between the spaced ends of the running board sections are protected by means of sheet metal flashings 9 having hollow upstanding ribs that straddle said seams and outstanding base flanges Ill interposed between the outstanding top flanges of the running board bracket 7 and the overlying end portions of said sections.

As shown in Figs. 1' to 7, inclusive, each of the metal running board sections D has depending side marginal flanges ll and relatively wide longitudinal tread portions l2 separated by relatively narrow channels [3 formed by a series of spaced longitudinal hollow ribs M on the under side of said section between said side marginal flanges. The tread portions l2 are provided with series of bossed-openings apart longitudinally of said portions from end to end thereof; and the bottoms of the channels [3 are provided with series of longitudinally spaced drain openings I 6. As shown in Fig. 7, the top lateral flanges of the running board brackets I extend between the depending side marginal flanges of adjacent running board sections D and are offset downwardly,'as' at la, in-

termediate between their ends to form depressed seats for the ends of the depending ribs M of said sections. The base flanges ID of the flashings 9 l5 that are spaced are likewise depressed, as at Illa, intermediate between their ends to seat within the depressed portions id of the outstanding top flanges of said running board brackets.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to '7, inclusive, the upper panels A of the roof are provided along their longitudinal side edges with raised ribs l'l whose ridge portions have substantially flat and horizontal tops 18 that form seats for the depending ribs M of the running board sections located thereabove; and from these flat ridge portions, the ribs incline downwardly, as at (9, at a relatively steep angle and merge into the plane of the upper panels adjacent to and on opposite sides of the running board sections. As shown in Fig. 12, the upper roof panel may be provided along its middle with a third running board supporting rib similar to the side marginal ribs I! of said panel.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the depending side marginal flanges I l of the running board sections are provided with lateral foot flanges 20 that are turned inwardly at an angle corresponding to the slope of the end portions IQ of the running board supporting ribs of the upper roof panels and rest flatwise upon said ribs. In the modification shown in Fig. 8, the foot flange 20a of the depending side marginal flange of the running board sections is disposed horizontally; and the downwardly sloping end portion of the running board supporting rib of the upper roof panel is provided with a horizontal step 201) adapted to support said horizontal foot flange.

In the modification shown in Figs. 9 to- 11, inclusive, the upper roof panel has its running board supporting ribs l'la located inwardly of its edges of said panels and have their end portions l9a, inclined downwardly at a relatively small angle so as to merge into the plane of the upper panels adjacent to the ends thereof; and the depending side marginal flanges Ila of the run ning board section are shown without base flanges and with their lower edges spaced above said ribs.

By the arrangement described, the ribs formed in the upper panels of the roof serve to increase the strength and rigidity of said panels and form horizontal seats for supporting the running board intermediate between the roof seams. The depending flat-bottomed reinforcing and stiffening ribs of the running board sections are all of the same depth and are all supported flatwise on the flat horizontal portions of the ribs of the upper roof panels; and the additional support afforded by said ribs between seams makes it possible to make the running board sections of comparatively light gage metal and to decrease the depth of said ribs of said sections. The construction prevents the accumulation of cinders and moisture between the running board and the greater portions of the upper panels of the roof and also provides hand holds for the trainman along the edges of the running board above the upper roof panels.

What I claim is:

1. A car roof comprising metal sheets formed into a longitudinal series of alternating upper and lower panels and a running board extending longitudinally of said roof' at the ridge, the ridge portions of one of said series of upper and lower panels having raised ribs therein that form seats for said running board.

2. A car roof comprising metal sheets formed into a longitudinal series of alternating upper and lower panels and a running board extending longitudinally of said roof at the ridge, said upper panels having raised stiffening ribs formed therein that are disposed longitudinally thereof and have flat and horizontal tops that constitute supports for said running board.

3. A car roof comprising metal roof sheets formed into a longitudinal series of alternating upper and lower panels and a running board extending longitudinally of said roof at the ridge, said upper panels having raised longitudinal ribs formed therein with substantially flat and horizontal ridge portions that constitute seats for said running board, said ribs inclining downwardly on opposite sides of said running board and merging into the plane of said upper panels.

4. A car roof comprising metal sheets formed into a longitudinal series of alternating upper and lower panels and a running board extending longitudinally of said roof at the ridge, the ridge portions of the upper panels having raised longitudinal ribs formed therein with horizontally disposed flat-topped ridge portions that constitute seats for said running board, said ribs decreasing in height on opposite sides of said running board and merging into the plane of said upper panels adjacent to the eaves ends thereof.

5. A car roof comprising metal sheets formed into a longitudinal series of alternating upper and lower panels and connected by upstanding seams located in said lower panels, and a running board extending longitudinally of said roof at the ridge and sustained by said seams, the ridge portions of said upper panels having raised ribs therein that form supports for said running board between said scams.

6. A car roof comprising metal sheets formed into a longitudinal series of alternating upper and lower panels and a metal running board extending longitudinally of said roof at the ridge. the ridge portions of said upper panels having raised longitudinal ribs formed therein with flattopped horizontal ridge portions, said running board having spaced longitudinal ribs on the underside thereof that seat upon the flat-topped horizontal ridge portions of the ribs of said upper panels.

'7. A car roof comprising metal sheets formed into a longitudinal series of alternating upper and lower panels and a metal running board extending longitudinally of said roof at the ridge, said upper panels having raised longitudinal ribs formed therein with horizontal flat-topped ridge portions that support said running board and end portions inclining downwardly on opposite sides of said ridge portions, said running board having depending side marginal flanges that terminate in laterally bent foot flanges that bear flatwise upon the downwardly inclined end portions of said ribs.

8. A car roof comprising metal sheets formed into a longitudinal series of alternating upper and lower panels and a metal running board extending longitudinally of said roof at the ridge, said upper panels having raised longitudinal ribs formed therein with flat and horizontal ridge portions and downwardly inclined end portions. said running board having depending ribs on its underside that seat upon the flat horizontal ridge portions. of said ribs of said upper panels and depending side marginal flanges that terminate in laterally bent foot flanges that bear flatwise upon the downwardly inclined end portions of said ribs of said upper panels.

9. A car roof comprising metal sheets formed into a longitudinal series of alternating upper and lower panels and a metal running board extending longitudinally of said roof at the ridge, said upper panels having raised longitudinal ribs formed therein with flat-topped horizontal ridge portions that support said running board and end portions that incline downwardly from said ridge portions on opposite sides of said running board, said running board being provided with depending side marginal flanges that terminate in horizontally disposed foot flanges and the inclined end portions of said ribs having horizontal steps formed therein adapted to form seats for said horizontal foot flanges.

10. A metal car roof sheet adapted to span from side to side of a car and having a raised panel extending substantially from end to end, said panel having a raised rib therein extending longitudinally across the longitudinal middle of said panel, and the topface of the middle portion of said rib being flat and wide enough to constitute a seat for a running board.

11. A metal car roof sheet adapted to span from side to side of a car and having a raised panel extending substantially from end to end, said panel having a raised rib therein extending longitudinally across the longitudinal middle of said panel, and the top face of the middle portion of said rib being flat and wide enough to constitute a seat for a running board, said rib having. downwardly inclined end portions that merge into the plane of said raised panel. 7

r 12. A metal car roof sheet adapted to span from side to side of a' car and having a raised panel extending substantially from end to end. said panel having a raised ribtherein extending longitudinally across the longitudinal middle of said panel, and the topface of the middle por-' tion of said rib being flat and Wide enough to constitute a seat for a running board, said rib having downwardly inclined end portions that merge into the plane of said raised panel and are provided with flat and horizontal step portions. t l

PAUL E. FINGER. 

